Superman Ramirez is impressed by Brown
THE Aberdeen forward line now contains a JET and Superman but it’s the club’s new 36-year-old signing who has set an explosive pace in pre-season.
Christian Ramirez, the superhero striker in question, had heard all about Scott Brown before agreeing to move to Pittodrie from the United States.
Yet while he knew he’d be teaming up with a renowned competitor, he wasn’t quite expecting to be set such a ferocious pace in practice.
‘I wish you could see our warm-ups — he just takes off and is 20 yards in front of everyone,’ laughs Ramirez (below).
‘He sets the standard from the start of training. That is why he was the leader for so long at Celtic. He has been that staple, that iron rod in midfield that connects everything.
‘We are really happy to have him and I know he will do great things for us.’
The Dons host
Swedes Hacken in the Europa
Conference
League qualifiers on
Thursday.
There will be a lot of scrutiny on Brown’s performance. Last season, he toiled in an ailing Celtic team, yet much of that was about the club’s regression and not his advancing years.
On first impressions, Ramirez has detected no sluggishness in Brown, who was yesterday named Dons skipper for the season ahead.
‘Maybe when you are at a place for so long then go somewhere new, you hit the refresh button,’ argues 30-year-old Ramirez.
‘He looks great and has been fantastic since I have been here.
‘He has so much yet to give so I have been picking his brain about the league and who we are playing because he has seen it all. That will make my transition easier.’
Ramirez gained his Superman moniker thanks to his scoring exploits with Minnesota United.
For his latest adventure, he will be partnered by former Livingston star Jay EmmanuelThomas, he of the turbo-charged acronym on the back of his shirt.
‘I’ve spoken to JET and he’s just said to play free and play off each other. If one of us is occupying defenders it will make life easier on the other. With our presence in there, I think it will be a good dynamic to have and a very good option for us to score.’